By Paul Myers
As golfers, many of us are endlessly seeking more and more swing speed so we can add distance to our drives. More distance means shorter approach shots, and shorter approach shots usually means more birdies. If you want to be a better golfer, adding swing speed is normally a great way to get there.
But is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Can you do damage to you game in the pursuit of more swing speed, even if you reach your speed goals? This isn’t a topic that all golfers will agree on, but it is something to think carefully about. If you are a golfer who is working hard to add swing speed, make sure that you are doing so with the best interests of your golf game in mind.
Following are three ways in which adding swing speed could potentially hurt your game in the long run. This doesn’t mean you should stop trying to get more speed into your swing – it is only meant as a word of caution so you don’t get out of control and wind up hurting your game as a whole.
#1 – Getting Off Balance
It isn’t worth trying to record higher swing speeds if you are pulled off balance in the process. A consistently repeatable swing is one that has good balance from start to finish, so don’t let yourself lose balance just to add a few more miles per hour. A fast swing speed isn’t any good if you don’t make solid contact in the center of the club face time after time, so make balance a priority even if it means you leave a couple extra miles per hour in the bag.
#2 – Losing Control of Your Ball Flight
Even if you are able to max out your swing speed while maintaining your balance, it’s still good to have control over your ball flight on a regular basis. Predictable ball flights can help with good scores, and players with ultra-high swing speeds sometimes have trouble producing ball flights that can be relied on over and over. That isn’t to say that you can’t control the ball while swinging very hard – certainly many professional golfers do so on a regular basis. However, if your level of skill isn’t such that you can manage your ball flight along with serious power, consider backing off just slightly until you find a sweet spot that allows you to control your ball and still have plenty of power at your disposal.
#3 – Maintaining it All Day Long
Much like a starting pitcher in baseball, it can be nice to be able to make quality swings all day long – not just for a few holes. If you are swinging so hard that you are getting tired during the round, or your muscles are starting to wear out, you might think about backing off. While it is fun to blast the ball for a few holes, it may not do you much good if you have run out of steam late in the round. Make sure you are swinging hard enough to generate power, but also swinging at a pace that you are able to hold up for a full 18-hole round.
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Use the tool below to find out a.) how fast your swing speed should be and b.) how fast you COULD swing it soon: